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Kentucky

US KY
The Toll of Tobacco in Kentucky
High school students who smoke (2025) 4.4% (10,600)
High school students who use e-cigarettes (2025) 15.8%
Male high school students who smoke cigars (female use much lower) (2025) 4.1%
Kids (under 18) who try cigarettes for the first time each year 9,800
Adults in Kentucky who smoke (2025) 15.2% (545,600)
Deaths in Kentucky from Smoking
Adults who die each year from their own smoking 8,900
Proportion of cancer deaths in Kentucky attributable to smoking 37.2%
Smoking kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car crashes, illegal drugs, murders, and suicides combined — and thousands more die from other tobacco-related causes — such as fires caused by smoking (more than 1,000 deaths/year nationwide) and smokeless tobacco use.
Smoking-Caused Monetary Costs in Kentucky
Annual health care costs in the state directly caused by smoking $2.23 billion
Portion covered by the state Medicaid program $634.0 million
Residents' state & federal tax burden from smoking-caused government expenditures $1,406 per household
Smoking-caused productivity losses in state $6.3 billion
Amounts do not include health costs caused by exposure to secondhand smoke, smoking-caused fires, or use of non-cigarette tobacco products. Productivity losses are from smoking-caused premature death and illness that prevent people from working. Tobacco use also imposes costs such as damage to property.
Tobacco Industry Influence in Kentucky
Annual tobacco industry marketing expenditures nationwide $12.8 billion
Estimated portion spent for this state marketing each year $251.0 million
Published research studies have found that kids are twice as sensitive to tobacco advertising as adults and are more likely to be influenced to smoke by cigarette marketing than by peer pressure. One-third of underage experimentation with smoking is attributable to tobacco company advertising.

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Last updated Oct. 13, 2026